Macrame loom

ABSTRACT

A macrame loom having a substantially rectangular base plate with a first and a second oppositely positioned elevated uprights or flanges. The first flange is provided with evenly-spaced mounting means, such as pins, twine, rope, etc. The second flange is provided with a thereon-connected tie-on bar comprising a plurality of hook-shaped configurations made from plastic or any other spring-biased material. The mounting means are arranged for convenient cooperation with a dowel or any other object to be knotted onto associated macrame work which subsequently is held elevated from the base between the mounting means and the tie-on bar.

United States Patent Nielsen et a1.

Comstock 139/34 1 Sept. 5, 1972 Primary Examiner--Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney-Pasqual J. Sferra et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A macrame loom having a substantially rectangular base plate with a first and a second oppositely positioned elevated uprights or flanges. The first flange is provided with evenly-spaced mounting means, such as pins, twine, rope, etc. The second flange is provided with a thereon-connected tie-on bar comprising a plurality of hook-shaped configurations made from plastic or any other spring-biased material. The mounting means are arranged for convenient cooperation with a dowel or any other object to be knotted onto associated macrame work which subsequently is held elevated from the base between the mounting means and the tie-0n bar.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEQ E 5'97? 3.688 357 SHEET 1 UF 2 INVENTORS RICHARD H. NIELSEN EDITH M. NIELSEN JOAN H. FETTY I .1 AqENT PAIENTEDSEP' 51912 3.688.357

SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTORS:

RICHARD H. NIELSEN EDITH M. NIELSEN JOAN H. FETTY MACRAME LOOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to hand looms and, more particularly, to a hand loom specifically designed for making articles of macrame regardless of the length thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many types of devices have been devised for retaining threads or cords at spaced distances and at an elevated plane so that weaving, knotting or other tieing manipulations with the cords can be accomplished conveniently. However, the existing devices or hand looms have various shortcomings. For instance, in an analysis of a thorough patent search it showed distinctly that most pertinent patents cited did not provide for means to tie readily and easily the main or center cords of macrame designs in an undamaging and taut condition. Also, the search did not show the possibility of handling various designs apart from one another regardless of their intended length. Further, since it is often desirable for articles of macrame to be connected or knotted directly onto a certain object, such as a belt buckle, piece of driftwood, a frame, or any other item, it became obvious that the conventional hand loom devices did not suffice. For example, one of the most pertinent U. S. Pat. No. 2,395,981 by Clinton L. Walker, discloses a knotting board with a bridge 11 having V slots 14, which in use cause damage to the main center cords. Furthermore, the same patent employs a clamping block 12 that does not offer any convenient manner for mounting various objects to which the macrame article is to be attached. A less pertinent U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,250 by V. C. Bennett, discloses a hand loom which restricts the size of the macrame article to the size of the device itself, and tautness of the cords cannot be readjusted during operation.

When a person does not use the macrame loom, he must: 1) tie the cords at one end to his waist and at the other end to a chair or similar object an arms length away and then proceed with the knotting, but he cannot move about due to work being tied to the chair and himself; or 2) secure the cords with push or T pins to a foam rubber pad or pillow that is held on the lap or placed next to him. Then the pins are removed and the cords are repinned for each knot, but the center cords are flush with the foam rubber so that it is difficult to pass the knotting cords under the center cords; or 3) secure the top of the center cords under the clamp of a clip board and then pin the opposite ends of the center cords to the base of the clip board, but here too it is difficult to pass the knotting cords under the center cords and also the size of the article of macrame is limited to the size of the clip board.

Therefore, it became evident that an improved hand loom for articles of macrame was needed. The present invention provides for such an improved macrame loom and offers many advantages. This invention eliminates the necessity of foam rubber, pillows, pins or other devices for creating articles of macrame. Knotting becomes neat and even because of the tie-on bar which holds the center or main strands taut. This is accomplished by wrapping the main strands onto the hook-shaped members with a half-hitch so that said member is placed in tension. The tie-on bar eliminates the use of hooks, weights or friction clamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a macrame loom which comprises a base or flat sheet of material of a substantially rectangular shape. At the top edge and bottom edge are uprights or flanges protruding normally from the same surface of the base sheet. The upright at the top edge is provided with a plurality of holes, evenly spaced, for the insertion of pins. These pins stand normal to the base and serve as mounting means for the center cords. Additional mounting means for fastening objects to which the main cords may be attached are provided on the top upright in the form of tapes, clips, strings, etc. The bottom upright has a tie-on bar having a plurality of hooks which are resilient so that a thereon-knotted cord stays taut and firm.

This simply constructed yet novel and uniquely improved macrame loom is light and portable enough for traveling. When starting an article of macrame which is to be attached to a piece of driftwood or other bulky item, one ties such an item on to the top of the loom with adapter strings. A dowel is included should a person wish to begin work on this; in fact, anything can be held firmly to the loom to which articles of macrame are to be attached: such as neck wire or a belt buckle. The tie-on bar holds the center or main cords taut for tying knots or half-hitches around them, or it may hold a number of cords side by side when making an even row of knots.

Macrame designs are created mainly by using two knots the half hitch and the square knot in difierent combinations, and also the over hand knot. Once cords have been attached to dowel neck wire or a belt buckle, then rows of square knots or half-hitches are normally made for creating various patterns.

Thus the following advantages of the present invention became evident: l) the person tying the knotting cords can get the cords under the center cords easily due to the space provided by the two end uprights or flanges utilized on the device. 2) The work can be set aside quickly and returned to with ease. 3) The knotted work can be moved to facilitate longer lengths of macrame. 4) No extreme manual dexterity is required so that even physically handicapped persons can do the knots. 5) The device can be used sitting or standing without adaptations. 6) The device can be adapted to make many types of macrame items without complicated preparations because it has adaptations to facilitate initial fastening of work to a desired object. 7) The device is made of durable and safe materials. 8) A plastic tie-on bar is incorporated on the device, having natural resiliency for assuring a continual center cord tautness. 9) The tie-on bar provides for easy adjustment and rearrangement of center cord positions or tautness.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a macrame loom having means for securing cords for macrame design work in a taut, stretched, elevated position between any desirable object and spring-biased hook members.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a macrame loom having multiple possibilities for various macrame designs regardless of length.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a macrame loom of simple, rugged construction for retaining cords for macrame design work in a taut position and for permitting the finished part of the design to advance there across without damaging the cords at the fastening tie-on and mounting means.

In general, the present invention comprises a macrame loom for supporting cords for macrame designs employing a base, a first upright member mounted on the base top side upper surface and a second upright member mounted on the base bottom side upper surface. A tie-on bar is mounted on the second upright member, and is provided with a plurality of exposed hook-shaped members of spring-biased material, such as plastic cleats or the like. The first upright member is provided with mounting means including a plurality of upwardly protruding pins, such as cotter pins, and a plurality of manually engaging means, such as holes carrying a piece of rope, so that the mounting means is adaptable to alternative modes of fastening the associated cords of macrame work and whereby the hook-shaped members keep the cords knotted thereon in a taut, elevated position from the base in order to provide for an easy and convenient macrame knotting access.

Accordingly, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters are used for indicating like components throughout the various views.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric illustration of a macrame loom representing the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a section of a tie-on bar used on the macrame loom as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of part of the macrame loom showing one manner of starting a macrame design for a belt next to a design originating from a doweling stick which is a separate accessory of the loom.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative manner of starting a macrame design from a piece of driftwood.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is isometrically illustrated a macrame loom which includes a base 12 made from a sturdy type of sheet material such as plywood or the like. The base 12 is rectangularly shaped and carries at its upper surface 14 a pair of uprights or flanges 16 and 18. The first upright 16 is mounted at the top edge portion 20 and the second upright 18 is mounted likewise at the upper surface 14 bottom edge portion 22. A tie-on bar 24 made from a material possessing preferably an inherent springbiased quality and with a smooth exterior, such as plastic or the like, is mounted on the upright 18. This tie-on bar 24 has hook-shaped members disposed parallel with the base 12 and directed towards the first upright 16. The hook-shaped members 30 are preferably cleat-shaped for easy rope engagement.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cord 40 is brought about the cleat 30 and fastened by a conventional self-holding half-hitch 42. Furthermore, the cleat 30 has left and right lips 44 and 46, respectively, for retaining the halfhitch 42. When force is applied to cord 40, in the direction indicated by the arrow 48, then the cleat 30 is placed in its hereinbefore-mentioned torsion stress or springbiased condition. The constant torsion stress of the hook-shaped member of the tie-on bar 24 will be understood by referring to FIG. 2. It should be noted that the cord 40 has a portion 50 shown in a dashed line fashion, which is located between the lip 44 and the base upper surface 14, and when tensioned tends to lift the lip 44 substantially normally upwards from the paper to the viewers eye. However, the material of cleat 30 resists the bending force, resulting in constant tension force on cord portion 52 (the portion tied at two ends, top and bottom). Of course, it should be realized that a tighter pull on the half-hitch will cause a greater tension on cord portion 52, or that a half-hitch in reversed manner would push the lip 44 in an opposite direction. Readjustment of the cord portion 52 is made simply and repeated readjustment does not result in injury to the texture or fiber of the cord.

In order to attach the various macrame articles, the present invention provides a variety of mounting possibilities. For that reason, the top upright 16 is provided with a plurality of relatively evenly spaced cotter pins 60 and a plurality of spaced-apart holes 62 for fastening of ropes or twines 64 which serve to connect manually a variety of objects. Cotter pins 60 are preferred since they have a well-rounded portion and an eye opening so that a wire (not shown) or a dowel 66 can be connected.

FIG. 3 shows three different macrame starting procedures; from left to right, the first one shows a belt buckle 68 hooked over cotter pins 60; the next one shows the use of the dowel 66, which is simply placed on top of the pins 60 and is held there because of the tautly arranged center or main cords 70; and the third procedure shows a direct fastening of the cord 70 to the cotter pin 60. Macrame articles are created mainly by using two well known knots, the half-hitch and square knot in different combinations; however, the macrame art is well known and further discussion is immaterial for the purposes of this disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative manner of mounting an object such as the piece of driftwood 72. As illustrated, the driftwood 72 is securely tied by the adapter ropes or twines 64 onto the top upright 16.

Finally, it should be realized that the pins 60 or adapter ropes 64 can be removed or readily loosened and the work advanced between the upright members 16 and 18, and once again the work may be attached to the upright 16 by the pins 60, dowel 66 or other tie-on means.

Applicants further believe that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have herein described the principle and operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Now, therefore, we claim:

I. A macrame loom for supporting cords for macrame designs comprising:

a. a base;

b. a first upright member mounted on said base top side upper surface;

c. a second upright member mounted on said base bottom side upper surface;

d. a tie-on bar mounted on said second upright member, said tie-on bar provided with a plurality of exposed hook-shaped members of spring-biased material;

e. said first upright member provided with mounting means including a plurality of upwardly protruding pins and a plurality of engaging means so that said mounting means is adaptable to alternative modes of fastening said associated cords and whereby said hook-shaped members keep said cords knotted thereon in taut elevated position from said base in order to provide access for macrame knotting.

2. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tie-on bar hook-shaped members have a cleatshaped appearance and wherein each said cleat has a right and left lip extending in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright.

3. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 2 wherein said spring-biased force of said cleat material opposes bending of said right and left lip in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright and normal to said right and left lip extended direction.

4. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 3 including a dowel, said dowel adapted to be supported by said plurality of pins at said pins far side taken in reference from said second upright mounted member on said base.

5. A macrame loom for supporting cords for macrame designs comprising:

a. a rectangularly shaped base;

b. a first upright member mounted on said base top edge upper surface;

c. a second upright member mounted on said base bottom edge upper surface parallel with said first upright member;

d. a tie-on bar mounted on said second upright member, said tie-on bar provided with a plurality of exposed hook-shaped members of spring-biased material; and

. said first upright member provided with mounting means including a plurality of upwardly protruding pins and a plurality of flexible engaging means so that said mounting means is adaptable to alternative modes of fastening said associated cords and whereby said hook-shaped members hold said cords knotted thereon in taut, elevated position from said base in order to provide for macrame knotting access.

6. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 5 wherein said hook-shaped members are exposed towards said first upright member and in alignment with said associated cords.

7. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tie-on oar hook-shaped members have a cleatshaped appearance and wherein each said cleat has a right and left lip extending in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright.

8. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spring-biased force of said cleat material opposes bending of said right and left lip in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright and normal to said right and left lip extended direction.

9. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 6 including a dowel, said dowel adapted to be supported by said plurality of pins at said pins far side taken in reference from said second upright mounted member on said base. 

1. A macrame loom for supporting cords for macrame designs comprising: a. a base; b. a first upright member mounted on said base top side upper surface; c. a second upright member mounted on said base bottom side upper surface; d. a tie-on bar mounted on said second upright member, said tieon bar provided with a plurality of exposed hook-shaped members of spring-biased material; e. said first upright member provided with mounting means including a plurality of upwardly protruding pins and a plurality of engaging means so that said mounting means is adaptable to alternative modes of fastening said associated cords and whereby said hook-shaped members keep said cords knotted thereon in taut elevated position from said base in order to provide access for macrame knotting.
 2. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tie-on bar hook-shaped members have a cleat-shaped appearance and wherein each said cleat has a right and left lip extending in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright.
 3. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 2 wherein said spring-biased force of said cleat material opposes bending of said right and left lip in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright and normal to said right and left lip extended direction.
 4. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 3 including a dowel, said dowel adapted to be supported by said plurality of pins at said pins'' far side taken in reference from said second upright mounted member on said base.
 5. A macrame loom for supporting cords for macrame designs comprising: a. a rectangularly shaped base; b. a first upright member mounted on said base top edge upper surface; c. a second upright member mounted on said base bottom edge upper surface parallel with said first upright member; d. a tie-on bar mounted on said second upright member, said tie-on bar provided with a plurality of exposed hook-shaped members of spring-biased material; and e. said first upright member provided with mounting means including a plurality of upwardly protruding pins and a plurality of flexible engaging means so that said mounting means is adaptable to alternative modes of fastening said associated cords and whereby said hook-shaped members hold said cords knotted thereon in taut, elevated position from said base in order to provide for macrame knotting access.
 6. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 5 wherein said hook-shaped members are exposed towards said first upright member and in alignment with said associated cords.
 7. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tie-on bar hook-shaped members have a cleat-shaped appearance and wherein each said cleat has a right and left lip extending in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright.
 8. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spring-biased force of said cleat material opposes bending of said right and left lip in a direction normal to said associated cord axis supported between said top and bottom upright and normal to said right and left lip extended direction.
 9. A macrame loom as claimed in claim 6 including a dowel, said dowel adapted to be supported by said plurality of pins at said pins'' far side taken in reference from said second upright mounted member on said base. 